Surfacing machine



1 Aug. 7, l1945..

R. AB. MENTZER I 2,381,833

...@URFAGING MACHINE l Filed Aug. v1s, 1942 s sheets-sheet i n, l@ -741/ v n:

`\\\\\\\\.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\.\\\\\\\\-` l l y RALPH B. MENTZER Aug.' 1, 1945.

R. B. Mx-:Nr'zER SURFACING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18. 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllll/ RALPH B. MENTZIER- l r flttoaMa/l 4R, B.' MEN-.rzER 2,381,833

sURFAcING MACHINE Y Aug. 7, 1945',

RALPH B. MENTZER assembly.

l PATENT orrics f r.assigns sUsFncING MACHINE# f ...Ralph-Bender A,I iarnilton zMentzer, Lancaster, Pa., assignorto .Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa.

5llfpplication August is, 1942, serial N. 455,264 .lotti-e2)Vw .I

.y l: n, i-iciaims f 4'This .invention 'relates toffajutomatic lmacl'iin'es andfhas for itsobjecttheprovision f'improved means andr method ofautomati'cally controlling and fcltrryil.' 1gl out the operation of such machines. Another n obje, jewel .rnachine,r ,applying pcwer relativev movement means and. method 'of v conjoint-.ly delivery means and controlling betweenflthe 4.toolhclder and @Another object is to provide improved' relative angementv and adjustment meansfo'f 'toolholderl and I Worlholtlei'l with 4respect vtol each otherv in an automaticgjewel x'naclfiine.`

Another. obectis to, provide .anfimproved work:y holder assembly, iin an automatic jewel machine. VA'r'iotlier object isto provide V means and method of tir-,ningv7 'thef ,operation o`f yautomatic jewel ma,-

chines.

Another.l an automatic jewel machine, a cofunctioning arrangement between. a timing assembly and .,a.. povvery delivery Another obj'ectjlisto `,pu-.oviclia in, an automatic jewelV machine, a cofunctioning .combination vof 'a timing. arrangement, power' delivery .application means, animproved arranged for'the relative eontrolfand ,adjustment of the workholder and `toolfholder with respect to each other, and an improved workholler assembly. @Other` and further. objects Will be apparent ollowing,specifications'.and.from the drawings.; f

Referring.toithefdravvingsz l lLigQY I is aplan View .of la machine embodyingan "i II- s a,

' illustration of the invention;

front sideielevation ofthe machine i. 1s-agleftvendfelevationof the machine machine; .v Y. ...Figi Vfsarear elevation 4fof the` same machine has been reversed left to. right with referencia-@lite 111;.. f f

Liigfll a V,detail o'f aV toolholder arrangement 'usedinthis machine; and C .,[Figjilds a central and lvertical sectionof a ngorlrholder. assembly v.used in. the machine.

-Thisinvention is directed yto an automatic mar 'chine ,h .provisions fer, automatically timing the operation. of tnemaehhe, for @enjoin-ny con- 4 relative" move'nientlbetween toolho'lder anu [Werkh-` `.1 lf.r fandk bringing lpower Adelivery ,into operation, forI 'easy and eflicient opf era im v mapmne ,and for particular-c0- f tionv between vthe'timii'i'gr assembly and a c'tis to provide,` in'. anfautom'atic ofthe Worllroider, rfor 'general'cofunction which maybe in, the l'surfacing of ti'mepiecefjjew; els, particularly in the formation of the `cup and bevel surfaces of suchjewels' and particularly in the` finish for polishing operations thereon., 'In

the formation of the ycup, surface a male tool is used' and in the formation of fthe bevel surface a female tool is used.

Essentially, lthe operation ofthe machine, as illustrated, is as`follows:/The workholderjisadjusted to permit movement to thedesired height With respectto the toolholder, aj-worlqoiece.is:in-` serted in the-workholder, a toolismadeready I on the toolhol'der., theautomatic stopl ngeris adjusted'topermit .the desired period of operaj tion, and the startingleveris depressedwf, This movementof the startinglever causes vseveral actions to loccur.substantially simultaf neously. A switchis closedv to start they motor which ,drives the vtoclspindle.;andy the timing mechanism. A fingerbn` the starting,lever. ,is brought into engagement with the thread of the timing sleeveso that. continued rotation of the sleeve will move the rsleeve; toward v with the stop finger-as will stop the .machine Also `an idler roller Kcarrying Aslide` is somoved as to engagefthe vidleri -roller Withan valready traveling belt` and the -belt in turnwith the drive pulley of the vWerknemer assembly and at .the same time bring into-| position fa finger f. which holds the workholder-lifting lever in upor ope-rating position.y 1 .l Y

thestop finger, thevarious rsteps above arere- .versed and the machine returned -to `star-ting arrangement.

One effective method of operating this mach-ine is to rotate the work at high speed, the tool'at medium'slow speed, and .the timer Aat slow speed.

As in-Fig. ila basel isprovided 'with 'an' np-` right 2, with-'a toolholder assembly 3 and a Worlkv holder assemblyil .mounted. on one endf .o'f they base, and a timing '-nlechanism randV tooliassembly power supply motorli mounted on the other end of the base.

The too'lholder "assembly S-Iccmprises vsimply la shaft 6 on the' upper portion of Ywhich isY mounted a drive vpulleyv 1 `driven'loy a belt from a pulley `8 associated with the vmctor 5, and a tool support 9 secured to the lower 'end'cf 'the shaft 6 with an off-center toolreceiving recess ill. (Fi-gl The tool I l'may be lof steel 'having amend portion l2 adapted to fit'into the recess "Mi and ai other end portionvi3 `of Woods metal or similar lorsT melting point: solder which `is the `work con; tacting portion 'of the tool. "Thewire M'Tis looped about a flat sided portionof the -stick Itanrd'has ya 'free'end` engaging the :side of vthemaclfiine to 'prevent rotation of the tool stick 'l1'. *Thisfbreaks up the pattern of the surfacing action andavcids concentric sur-facing lines. Y i

suchcontact Thus upon the rotation ofthe spindle 6 the tool is oscillated over the surface of the work withv a polishing action when abrasive is placed between the tool andthe work.

The work-holder assembly 4 is illustrated in Fig. VII and comprises an outer housing I5 with a sleeve I6 mounted within the housing for rotation therein on bearings I1. A pulley I8 is secured to the sleeve I6 and` is adapted to drive the sleeve in rotation upon the application of a drive belt to the pulley I8, A central shaft I9 is mounted within the sleeve I6 for rotation therewith and has at its upper end a workpiece base 2U. When reference is made hereafter to a workpiece it is intended to mean either the workpiece itself or a workpiece holder such as may be used to mount timepiece jewels for operation thereupon in jewel machines. For the purpose of this description the jewel and such jewel mounting are considered to be the same:

The sleeve I6 is provided with a cap member ZI whichv acts as anupper seat or clamp for the workpiece mounted on the base 20. The sleeve I6 is alsoprovided with side wall apertures 22 through which the workpiece is passed t0 mount or dismount it from the base 2n. `When the ma chine is in operation, `the shaft I9 is positioned as shown in Fig. VII with a spring 23 providing resilient clamping action between the base 2U and the cap 2| on the workpiece. When it is desired to load or unload the workpiece from the holder, the shaft I9 is moved downwardagainst the action of spring 23 until the base 20 is substantially in alignment with the apertures 22 through which the workpiece may then readily be inserted or removed.

When the machine is in operation, the shaft I9 is held in the general position shown in Fig. VII by a lever 24 (see Fig. III) which is pivoted to the base I at 25 and to the shaft I9 at 26.l Lever 24 is provided with a weight 21 which tends to move the shaft I9 downward. This action is prevented during the loperation of the machine by .the insertion of a holding finger 28 (see Fig. I)

in an opening 29 in the weight 21. s

This nger 28 is mounted on a 'slide plate 30 which carries an idler roller 3I adapted to be so pushed against a drive rbelt 32 (see Fig. II) as to engage the belt with the workholder drive pulley I8. The manner and occasion of the movement of theslide plate will be described hereafter. i i

With further reference to the workholder assembly of Fig. VII the shaft I9 is provided at its lower end with a locating member 33. This member is in the form of a cylindrical block secured to the lower end of rthesliaft I9 with' a transverse V groove 34 in the lower end thereof. A fixed block 35 is secured to the base I and formed with an upper surface adapted tosubstantially t within the V groove 34 so that when the shaft I9 is pulled downwardly by weight 21 or otherwise it is stopped in its rotation at a particular position by the mating of the blocks 33 and 35. Sincethe shaft I9 and the sleeve I6 are keyed for rotation together as well as for relative longitudinal movement with respect to each other, when the shaft I9 is stopped at a particular position the sleeve I6 is also similarly stopped and the loading apertures I22 also arestopped at a particular position; 'This position ischosen in order to present the loading apertures at the most convenient peripheral 'position of the Workholder assembly 4, 'and the" block 35 is so arranged as to provide the desired positional stop location of the apertures 22.

A starting lever 36 is pivoted to the base I at 31 (see Fig. II) and is normally held in out of operation position as shown in FigII by means of a spring 31'., (Fig. V) which operates to keep the slide plate 30 in out of operation position. This is accomplished through a linkage arrangement involving levers 38, 39, 49, 4I and 42, with fixed pivots at 43, 44 and 45 and movable pivots at 46 and 41.` 4

' With this arrangement, movement of the starting lever 36 in a downward direction will cause the slide plate 3I)A and the idler roller 3| to be moved against the action of spring 31, and upon release of the starting lever 36; the spring 31 will operate through the linkage described to return the slide plate 32 to out` of operation position and to lift the starting lever 36 to out of operation position.

A timing shaft 48 (see Fig. II) is driven by the motor 5 through gears 49 and 50. 'See Fig. IV. A timing sleeve 5I is mounted for rotational movement with and for longitudinal movement with respect to,.the shaft 48, and is provided with an exterior thread. The sleeve 5| is normally held in out of operation position as shown in Fig. II by the spring 52 which is also mounted on shaft 48. A nger v53 ismounted on starting lever 36 and, upon depression thereof, is adapted to engage and Vfollow the thread of sleeve 5I, upon rotation thereof in consequence of the drive of shaft 48. They finger 53 is pressed downwardly by a `spring 54 in order to avoid breakage in the event that the finger does not immediately locate itself in the thread of the sleeve 5I.

When the Ystarting lever 36 is depressed, a micro-switch 55 mounted on a bracket 56 secured to the base I is closed by the removal therefrom of the pressure of a contact finger 51 secured to the starting lever 36.

The microswitch 55 is the starting and stopping switch for the motor 5 *which is lthe drive motor for the shaft 48 and associated timing mechanism.4 When the starting vlever 36 is lifted to out of operation position the nger 51 opens the switch 55 and stops .the motor 5.' Y

Motor 5 "having been started,v the shaft 48 consequently rotates with the finger 53 located in and following the thread of the sleeve 5I.

In order to hold the starting lever 36 in depressed position during the operation of the machine and to provide a supportfor a stop pin, a lever 58 is secured to thelinkage system at the pivot 44 for free pivotal movement thereon irrespective of the movement of the linkage system. In out of operation position, lever 58 is held against an abutment 59 on the starting lever 36 by' a spring 60 secured to the base I.. Upon depression of the lever 36 a shoulder 6| in the lever 58 is brought into engagement with the upper surface of the abutment 59 yso as to hold the lever 36 down during the operation of the machine.

iA stop pin 62 is mounted on the lever 58 to extend generally in the same direction as the shaft 48 and the sleeve 5I so that when the sleeve 5I has progressed along the shaft 48, in accordance with the rotation of the shaft 48 and the action of the pin 53 in the thread of the sleeve 5I, to a given position, an abutment 63 on the sleeve 5I is brought into contact with the extended end of the stop pin 62. Further movementof the sleeve 5I pushes the pin 62 and consequently the `lever 58 about its pivot 44 against the. action of the spring 6U so as to disengage the recess 6I -and the surface of the abutment 59 thereby releasing the starting lever 36 ffmieatinpermonm .meting-fthe 'pin or Fpishedtnm'ugh aise-king non se 'mnsef'l'said'sleeveto progress along aid ment :w .sais werknemer f mammie-dogme sp 'n 'sr' to' rareesirwpwardly #lof 1 the siteeve 51|; `thus .stopping 1 the lotionof the "mechanism and'permittmg sprirgflilto'push theisleeve 51 ifback tothe pds'ition, 'and'also moves the'zslidefp'late 'the idler oreiller.` 31' sont mi operationl so esito l'disengafge the beltJ T32' y"trom thepuiiey M8 'ia'ndstop therotationvof vthe' workho'lder assembly.

'fmeltime period or me operarios .or merma# y chine "may ir'evaried either hy' nsin-g threaded din-errent diameter., adjusting the Isto'pp'in l'solfthatithe sleevel 'will travelva #greater4V 'or distance as 'desired vhef/ore foonby operating fthe', manual' stop i Having describedmy inyentionliielairn toolnollder endl-a workhold'er mountedto'r Eenolirelative` .ifotaftionalmfovementfwith respect tiiea'oh otherl la'slwll axto'oflin'saidf'toolnoid'er temperate anais/'empiece in said'iwork: morder, andtiming means'aadapte'd lto laat-,dman- 'caiilytermnate' saidoperatiomjseid timingmeans Li'n'ehidi-n'g an eieteriorly'threededi .sil-crave7 mounted [for lioligi'tudinal movement 'avithmes'pect tofand tornotationalfmnvement' tv nngeradaptedto ngage s'aid'ithrieada d ithe're'by mammaires-mth me `rotante,thereoffandfa is'bop'rnemberadapted toloperate when said ve reachlesalgiuv-errqoositir'mion said'fs'hatb tifad::toolhoflfdervv *and fa workh member mounted for fstaightlin" d movement with respect thereto'gpowei delivery means adapted'to' impa tffsaid rota't'i'onai` move- .ernlber 'and being nor- -reifnon with respect tnally,` heid inv "inoperative yltilvreretojand means-adapted to leonjo'intly'eonam said snaightiineanovement and @dringend v:power delivery means 1into operativerelat-i'on'with sldworklroldr member, f aidlla's't' namedmeans *including a leverI connected" tol l said 'Workholder 'anda lever ated slidefplatfe having 1d roller and :a :snpportingportion adaptedto limit v :tine 1movement ofvsaid Workholder lever.

yon the button ,'40 l I n Workholder assembly adrivenwshatt, a

than f na ramada-1 I 6I toolholder *member exteriorly threadedA movement C With, a

sembly through-said ,side wall .loading opening.v

di.r A ltoolholder and' a Wo 'kholder assembly mounted for such relative lrotational movement with lrespect to each other aswill cause a tool in said toolholder to operate on a' workpiece in said Workholder assembly, 'and timing means adapted to automatically terminate vsaid operation, said wor-kholder assembly 'including a sleeve member and a shaftmem-berin said sleeve withsaid membersA la-capted for relative movement with respect toeac'h other, one of said 'ing portion and the other of said members having a base thereon, with said lrelative movement of said members being `such as to provide separation and closing action between said 'holding portion and said -base Isi'iiiic'ient to' permit loading and unloading -of a workpiece fin said vvorkholder assem- `bly, and said timing means including a threaded member `and a member having a portion adapted to ridein said thread upon relative movement "between said members, and means adapted to produce such relative movement lbetween said members.' k g 5.' `A toolholder and a workholder assemblir mounted for such relative rotational movement with respect'to each other 'as' vWill canse atool'in said toolholder to operate on a' workpiece in said workholder assembly, and timing means vadapted -to rautomatically terminate said operation,A sai-d Workhol'der assembly including a niemberhavi-ng a side wall loading openingv and ya 'holding vportion vadjacent one end thereof, VIand a shaft me'rnbervmounted in sai-d sleeve `member tor rotation therewith and sliding movementwith respect thereto, said shaft member having a base `on one end thereof adapted to cooper-ate with said holding portion, and said between said holding por-tion and said base 'suicient to permit jloading of a workpiece in' said through said side wall loading opening, and said timing means including van y y d sleeve mounted 'for longitii'- 'dinal movement with respect to, and for rotational n ydriven shaft, a finger adapted n'gagesaid thread and thereby canse 'sai-d topi-egress 'along'y said shaft accordance LWittl'r'the'rotation thereof, and a 'stop `member adapted 'to operate' when said sieste readies ak givenposition onsa'idshait. k n vand a workhol-der as senile-1y lmember mounted for relative straight line f movement with 'respect to ea-eh' othenthe mount ler` oo i ZAtoolholderv zand 3a Workhoiderassenibly r'mounted for yrelatine rotational` movement with respect `to I,each other; :said assey yrotata'lii'e''sleeve member having aside'walllloadying 'opening and a-'holdirrg .portion adia'ee'nt :one

'end thereof, and a shaft member-incomes yumani y sleeve member for rotation therewithfandsiidwith i respect thereto; :said @snai-t l iti 'one oi said 'members bei-n' inaddition', for 'as will cause a tool in onf a workpiece in said ingof K ,such Utatgional movement said toolho'lder to oper te .'-Vvvprkholder assembly,

adalpted to impart 'said rotational movement vto one of Asai-d members and 'being'norm'allyheld operative r'elaticm with respect'to said` one said members, means having portions adapted onjointly control said straigilitiine 'movement bring'A sai/d power' delivery means into iov-perarv'relati'on lwith Ysaid "one of' said meinte-rey and 'ng' means adapted to automatically' Ltermi-nate said operation, said werknemer-assemblymeldd- Y ing a sleeve r-'ne'moer and a sliaftmember in said sleeve vv'ithjfsaid member-s adapted rfor relative mover-rient with respect to 'members fliaving' 'a' holding-portion 'and vthe other l'ofrsaidrin-embers having a base thereon,`jwithsaid v said ymernlberfs 'being 'suie-l1 y relative'-rnovement of i ast'o provide :separatonvand closing action between' Sannois-ing perdon and sai-desmesuracient to permit loading and unloading of av Work-A members having a'holdrotatable sleeve y l slidingrnovement being `su'ch asl Ito` provide separation and closing action "power ,deliver-ry' means each' other,}one of `said ing means including a threaded 'member and a member having a portion adapted to ride in said kthreadupon relative movement between said members, and means adapted to produce such relative movement between said members. y

'7. A toolholder member and a workholder assembly member mounted for straight line and rotational movement with.- respect thereto, power delivery means adapted tolimpart said rotational movement to said workholder assembly member and being normally held in inoperative relation witlivrespect thereto, means adapted to conjointly control said straight line movement and bring said `power'delivery means into operative relation with4 said workholder member, and timing means adapted to automatically terminate said operative relation, said workholder assembly including a rotatable sleeve member having a side wall loading opening and a holding portion adjacent one end thereof, and a shaft member mounted in said sleeve member for rotation therewith and sliding movement with respect thereto, said shaftrnember having a base on one end thereof adapted to cooperate with said holding portion and said slid- .ing movement being such as to provide separation and closing action between said holding portion and said` base suilcient to permit loading of a workpiece in said workholder assembly through said side wall loading opening, said control means yincluding a lever connected to said workholder assembly and a lever operated slide plate having an idler pulley and a'supporting portion adapted to limit the movement of said workholder assembly lever, and said timing means including an eX- teriorly-threaded sleeve mounted for longitudinal movement with respect to, and for rotational `movement with, a driven shaft, a linger adapted to engage said thread and thereby cause said sleeve to progress along said shaft in accordance with the rotation thereof, and a stopgmember adapted to operatewhen said sleeve reaches a given position on said shaft.

8. A toolholder and a workholder mounted for straight line and rotational movement with respect thereto, a starting member, power delivery means adapted to impart said rotational movement to said workholder and being normally held in inoperative relationwith respect thereto, linkage means connected to'said starting member,

means, operable through said starting member and linkage, adapted to conjointly control said straight line movement and bring said power delivery means into operative relation with said workholder, and timing means adapted to automatically terminate said operative relation, said control means including a lever connected to said workholder and a slide plate having an idler roller and a supporting portion adapted to limit the movement of said workholder lever, and said timing means including an exteriorly threaded sleeve mounted for longitudinal movement with respect to, and for rotational movement with, a driven shaft, a finger mounted on said starting member and adapted to engage said thread and thereby cause ysaid sleeve' to progress along said shaft in` accordance with the rotation thereof, and a stop member adapted to operate when said sleeve reaches a given position on said shaft.

9. A tool holder and a workholder mounted for such relative rotational movement with respect to each other as Will cause a tool'in said toolholder to operate on aworkpiece in said workholder, a starting member, timing means adapty ment with said piece-in said workholder assembly, and saidtim- `respect to, and for rotational movement with, a Adriven shaft, a finger mounted on 4said starting member and adapted to engage said thread and thereby cause saidV sleeve to progress along said shaftl in accordance with therotation thereof, a holding device adapted to so detain said starting member 'as to maintain said nger in engagement with said thread, and ay stop` member mounted on' said holding device and adapted, when said sleeve reaches a given position on said shaft, tosc engage a stop surface, moved in concurrence with the longitudinal movement of said sleeve, as to release said holding device and said starting member. f

10x-A toolholder and a workholder mounted forstraight line and rotational movement with respect thereto, a starting member, power delivery means adapted to impart said rotational movement to said workholder and being normally held in inoperative relation with respect thereto, linkage means connected to said starting member, means, operable through said starting member and linkage, adapted to conjointly control said straight line movement and -bring saidpowerf'delivery means into operative relation with said workholder, timing means adapted to `automatically-terminate said operative relation,

saidV control meansfincluding` a lever connected to said workholder and a. slide plate having an idler roller and a supporting rportion adapted to limit the movementof saidworkholder lever, said timing means including an exteriorly threaded sleeve mounted for longitudinal movement with respect to, and for rotational movement with, a driven shaft, a finger mountedon said starting member and adapted `to engage said thread `and thereby cause said sleeve to progress along said shaft in accordance with the rotation thereof, a holding device adapted to so detain said starting member :as to maintain said linger in engagethread, and afi stop member mounted on" said holding device and adapted, when said sleeve reaches a given position on said shaft, to so engage a stop surface, moved in concurrence with the longitudinal movement of said rotating said tool holder, a tool contacted at one end by said toolholder, said end being moved in a circular path, and said tool' being moved in a conical path, the other end of' said tool being formed with a ball shaped projection to provide 

